Thomson partners with Google on 411 business information
Rating: another brand under threat from Google’s influence
Sorry to sound so skeptical, but Thomson a huge brand in the phone book business has teamed with Google.
Why?
Well its for a one-touch auto-dial GOOG-411 button on to new GE-branded DECT 6.0 Interference free phones.
From the press release
“While some people still use the ‘phone book,’ most traditional paper versions these days are remarkably incomplete and do not fit today’s fast paced lifestyle,” said Tom Bratton, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Thomson Consumer Network Solutions. “In America alone, more than $18 million is spent on business information calls daily! That amounts to about $7 billion dollars spent per year. We believe that consumers will appreciate the ability to use GOOG-411, making free business information calls at the push of a single button.”
“We are pleased that Thomson has incorporated Google’s powerful local search service into their latest line of phones,” said Marc Vanlerberghe, Director of Mobile Marketing of Google, Inc. “GOOG-411 connects users to businesses for no charge. We believe that users will appreciate the ease, speed and simplicity of finding and connecting with businesses at the push of one button. Google is committed to making information useful and accessible when and where our users need it, whether it is on a desktop machine, a mobile device, or a landline handset.”
What we think?
I have to say this is great for Google. From no where buying its way into the 411 business its now on the leading phone book and about to have its own button on brand new free DECT phones – how jammy is that.
Google is starting to remind me of the kid in school that always got A’s.
A for being able to sell itself onto every major brand
A for sponging the business models of competitors by being their best friend and then replacing them
A for having the worst mobile search experience and getting away with it
A for (your own comment goes here)
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